New Hampshire Revised Statutes 137-J:36 – Determining Priority Among Multiple Surrogates
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I. Where there are multiple surrogate decision-makers at the same priority level in the hierarchy, it shall be the responsibility of those surrogates to make reasonable efforts to reach a consensus as to their decision on behalf of the patient regarding any health care decision. If 2 or more surrogates who are in the same category and have equal priority indicate to the attending practitioner that they disagree about the health care decision at issue, a majority of the available persons in that category shall control, unless the minority or any other interested party initiates guardianship proceedings in accordance with RSA 464-A. There shall not be a recognized surrogate when a guardianship proceeding has been initiated and a decision is pending. The person initiating the petition for guardianship shall immediately provide written notice of the initiation of the guardianship proceeding to the health care facility where the patient is being treated. This process shall not preempt the care of the patient. No health care provider or other person shall be required to seek appointment of a guardian.
II. After a surrogate has been identified, the name, address, telephone number, and relationship of that person to the patient shall be recorded in the patient’s medical record.
III. Any surrogate who becomes unavailable or unable or unwilling to act for any reason may be replaced by applying the provisions of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 137-J:35 in the same manner as for the initial choice of surrogate.
IV. In the event an individual of a higher priority to an identified surrogate becomes available and is willing and able to be the surrogate, the individual with higher priority may be identified as the surrogate. In the event an individual in a higher, a lower, or the same priority level or a health care provider seeks to challenge the priority or ability of the surrogate or the life-sustaining treatment decision of the recognized surrogate decision-maker, the challenging party may initiate guardianship proceedings in accordance with RSA 464-A.
II. After a surrogate has been identified, the name, address, telephone number, and relationship of that person to the patient shall be recorded in the patient’s medical record.
Terms Used In New Hampshire Revised Statutes 137-J:36
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- person: may extend and be applied to bodies corporate and politic as well as to individuals. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:9
- petition: when used in connection with the equity jurisdiction of the superior court, and referring to a document filed with the court, shall mean complaint, and "petitioner" shall mean plaintiff. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:51
III. Any surrogate who becomes unavailable or unable or unwilling to act for any reason may be replaced by applying the provisions of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 137-J:35 in the same manner as for the initial choice of surrogate.
IV. In the event an individual of a higher priority to an identified surrogate becomes available and is willing and able to be the surrogate, the individual with higher priority may be identified as the surrogate. In the event an individual in a higher, a lower, or the same priority level or a health care provider seeks to challenge the priority or ability of the surrogate or the life-sustaining treatment decision of the recognized surrogate decision-maker, the challenging party may initiate guardianship proceedings in accordance with RSA 464-A.